Week 8 - What I Have Learned

What I Have Learned

One hope that I have when I think about my work with children and their families from diverse backgrounds is that they feel respected, appreciated, and welcomed in the classroom. I want them to realize that they bring value to the classroom and that I learn as much from them as they do me. I also want to make sure that their needs are met through open and honest communication. I hope that when both the child and the family leave my classroom that they feel empowered to accomplish whatever they set out to do because I have done my best and have given them the tools to do so.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field in regards to the issues related to diversity, equity, and social justice is that the entire field comes together to realize the importance of anti-bias education. All early childhood programs should be in the practice of teaching tolerance and acceptance of all children and their families. Until we all see the value of all people, we will not see the social change we so desire. I look at early childhood as the foundation for all other growth. So as early childhood educators, we are working at the ground level where all great things will be built upon if we teach equity and social justice. If we show children that we know that they are smart and kind, then they will grow up to be smart and kind and will be more likely to thrive (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, p. 1). Nothing is more important than making sure all children are able to succeed and are able to live in a more just world.

I want to thank each and every one of you for all of your hard work and dedication to the early childhood field. I also want to thank you for the kind words, input, and insights you have shared with me throughout this course. I have had many of you in every single course here at Walden and I have enjoyed sharing this journey with you. I wish each and every one of you continued success. See you in the New Year!

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children

and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Week 7 Diversity Poem-Creating Art

Diversity

Diversity is within us.

Diversity is around us.

Diversity is what makes us unique.

Diversity is what binds us together.

Diversity is what makes us whole and strong.

Diversity is to invite love and understanding and

Diversity is acceptance of our differences into our lives and into our world.

Diversity is work, resiliency, and perseverance.

I wrote this poem based on my perceptions of diversity and based on what I have learned during this course. In this course and throughout my coursework at Walden University, I have learned the importance of understanding my own diversity and biases and how they play a role in the way I perceive others and how I communicate with them. I have a deeper understanding that even though I want to be accepting of all walks of life, my biases can hold me back from acting or behaving in the most appropriate ways. This is why I mentioned acceptance, work, resiliency, and perseverance. I should have also added acknowledgment to my poem. I have learned that it is okay to admit you do not fully understand someone else's viewpoint or that you do not agree with that viewpoint but can still accept them for who they are. Harro's (2010) cycles of socialization and liberation really helped me to see the ways I have changed and the ways I need to improve to make positive changes. 

References

Harro, B. (2010). The cycle of liberation. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, H. W.

Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (Figure 7.1 on p. 53, 2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Harro, B. (2010). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, H. W.

Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (Figure 6.1 on p. 46, 2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Start Seeing Diversity Week 6 EDUC 6357

Start Seeing Diversity 

It is natural for children to notice the differences around them. It is their way of figuring out the world around them and where they fit in. It is often our reactions to their questions that send them the wrong messages about what they see.

I witnessed a child asking her mother why another child was in a wheelchair. The mother did not answer her, Instead of answering her, she told her child not to stare at the child in the wheelchair. I had my youngest daughter with me and she immediately asked me why that mother did that. I told that my daughter that some people are not sure how to handle those types of situations. My daughter looked at the child in the wheelchair and the mother, smiled, then said and waved hello to them.

What I know from this experience is that children learn about our differences through what they learn from the adults around them. The child who asked why the other child was in a wheelchair was just noticing these differences and trying to make sense between what she knows and what she sees. The child had not yet formed any judgments/biases about these differences until the mother confirmed that noticing differences is shameful or wrong. It also marginalizes the group of people who are differently-abled by making them seem not “normal” and dehumanizes them.

If this child were one of my students and told me about this situation, I would have used what I have learned through my experiences and through what I have learned about anti-bias education to guide the child to better understand the differences around us and that it is okay to explore these differences. I would let this child know that he was not wrong in noticing that the child in the wheelchair was different from him (Laureate Education, n.d.). Instead of noticing differences as something shameful, we could begin to explore people with varying abilities through books, picture cards (Laureate Education, n.d.), and through answering children’s questions (Hall, 2008). Through my experiences with working with people with varying disabilities, I would be able to explain to my students how much they have in common with them. All children want to learn, play, and to be loved and appreciated. They have family, friends, and classmates. I feel by making these connections would help children see them as people rather than something taboo that they should not notice or talk about. We want children to feel that they are free to ask questions in order to create a world with less bias and prejudice. Until we show children we need to change how we value others, we will not be able to move towards creating change (Harro, 2010).

References

Hall, K. W. (2008). Reflecting on our read-aloud practices: The importance of including

culturally authentic literature. Young Children, 63(1), 80–86.

Harro, B. (2010). The cycle of liberation. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, H.

W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social

justice (Figure 7.1 on p. 53, 2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Physical ability and characteristics [Video

            file]. Retrieved from:

https://class.waldenu.edu

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Race/ethnicity [Video file]. Retrieved from:

https://class.waldenu.edu

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

Your response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families

If someone told me that they believed early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families, I would have to disagree with them. All families should be equally represented and in a positive way regardless of the center’s beliefs or the beliefs of the teachers in the classroom (Laureate Education, 2010). Equal and positive representation ensures that each child’s identity is positively developed, accepted, and validated.

If you have ever used or heard homophobic terms such as "fag," "gay," "homo," "sissy," "tom boy," or "lesbo" as an insult by a child toward another child? Or, by an adult toward a child? Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all children? (Note: if you have not had a personal experience, ask a family member, friend, or colleague)

I have never used these terms but I have heard them used and I have had my own children come home and tell me that they have heard these terms or have been told they are these things. My youngest daughter has been called a lesbian quite often at school because of her short hair and her athleticism. Because one of her older sisters is a lesbian, we have been able to have open and honest discussions about being gay/lesbian and that we are accepting of all of our children’s choices. We also discuss the unfairness of such prejudices and misconceptions and how to handle them. So far, she has handled these situations in stride. She also gets called a boy quite often by adults. With her peers, she sets them straight in various ways. Sometimes she lets them know that she donated her hair to children with hair loss and now likes her short hair. Other times she says she likes her short hair because she competes in jiu-jitsu. If they’re being rude, she just tells laughs them off and tells them how ridiculous their thinking is or will ask why it matters to them anyway. With adults, she doesn’t correct them. We let her guide us when it comes to correcting adults. The only time I correct an adult is when it is necessary such as when she is competing in jiu-jitsu and mistake her for a boy because the rules are different for what they can wear under the gi.

These types of comments influence all children because it gives them misinformation that divides them into groups of acceptance and unacceptance which in turn gives them a feeling of being superior over a marginalized group of people. Children absorb the prejudices and biases that surround them and begin to understand the power dynamics that come with certain social identities (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, pp. 15-16). It is sad to know that this is occurring in schools, that children are being bullied, and that some children choose to commit suicide over their struggle with their identity and the struggle of being accepted by society. ”Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average” and they are also five times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth (The Trevor Project, n.d.).

As early childhood educators, we need to teach acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion of all children in hopes that we can stop all instances of bullying and prejudice for a better future for our children.

References

Derman- Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Sexual orientation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

The Trevor Project. (n.d.). Preventing suicide. Facts about suicide. Retrieved from: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/preventing-suicide/facts-about-suicide/#sm.000tsf8a6zb6ctt1150261l4anghx

Thank all of you in EDUC 6165 Comm & Collab

I wanted to take the time to say a huge thank you to all of you! Many of us have been in all of the same courses throughout our Walden journey. Some of us have had a couple courses together or this was our first course together. Regardless of when or how often we have worked together, your input and support has been invaluable. All of you have helped me look at issues in ways I did not consider or you helped me expand on my current thinking.  I truly appreciate each and every one of you!
Feel free to stop by my blog anytime to say hi, ask a question, or to work on something together. You can also reach me using my email address: trishy0302@gmail.com 

 I hope to see some of you in future courses.

I wish all of you the best!
Trish

Adjourning

Adjourning

Adjourning is the final stage of a group where the group members move off into different directions (Abudi, 2010). Groups that make it to the fourth stage of performing will have formed strong bonds with each other and will feel a sense of sadness before moving on to other things (Abudi, 2010).

Looking back at all the different groups I was a part of, I feel like the hardest thing to do was to move on from the friendships I made during my early college days. Some of my closest friendships are from this time. We did everything together to include studying and hanging out. Through these bonds, we learned how to navigate life together. Because we were all growing into who we are today, I feel like we were a high-performing group. We are like family because we supported each other through the good and the bad and we never judged each other for our mistakes or differences. Each of us moved away to pursue our own paths and we were able to say our goodbyes. I am happy that even though we do not see each other on a regular basis, most of us have been able to keep in touch through phone calls, sending cards, and social media. Regardless of the time that has passed between us, I know this group of friends will always be a part of my foundation. Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it gives us time to reflect on both the positive and the negative things that occurred during that time. It also gives us an opportunity to have a sense of closure of one time or project and an opening to something new.

Many of you have been in every class with me here at Walden University. Although we do not know each other personally, I feel like I have learned so much about each of you and from each of you. The feedback we give one another has been invaluable and I will miss our weekly communications. I hope as we part ways (adjourn) that the experiences we have shared carry all of us into our next adventures! I would love to hear from any of you in the future!

References

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Conflict Resolution

Conflict Resolution

My professional conflict has to do with a discussion between my immediate supervisor who is also my co-teacher, my director, and I. Apparently, they had a discussion without me and decided together new ideas regarding classroom management. Instead of collaborating and working to resolve an issue with classroom management, I was told about the changes. Maybe because I am people-oriented, I took this as a personal attack because I was unable to give my input at the time since I was not included in the conversation, just the end result. At the end of the day, my director came to me and thanked me for a good day and that she liked what she heard from our classroom from her office.  My co-teacher and I need to sit down and discuss the changes further than she wants to work with the older children while I work with the younger children. I am okay with each of us teaching to our strengths but I felt a little left out of the loop since we were not able to discuss this as a team.

What I have learned from this week is that this discussion did not resolve the conflict. Rather it was just an attempt to fix a problem instead of following the 3 R’s: respect, response, and relationship (Cheshire, 2007). This conversation did not show any of the 3 R’s because I was not asked for my input, it came from a place of control, and it did not feel like a co-teacher relationship. As this evolves over the next few days, I will have to go against my desire to avoid conflict so my thoughts can be heard while also understanding the needs of my co-teacher so we can come to a mutual agreement (Center for Nonviolent Communication, n.d.).

For my colleagues who are not people-oriented, what suggestions do you have to help me resolve this issue? 

For my colleagues who are people-oriented, what tools have you used to overcome being emotionally charged during times of conflict?

All input is appreciated. Thank you!

Trish

References

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.).  The center for nonviolent communication. Retrieved from:  http://www.cnvc.org/

Cheshire, N. (2007). The 3 R’s: Gateway to infant toddler learning. Dimensions of Early Childhood. Volume 35, No. 3.

Who I Am as a Communicator

Who I Am as a Communicator

This week, I was able to evaluate myself as a communicator. I was also able to see how other people see me as a communicator by having them evaluate me using the same tools I did to evaluate myself.

What I learned from these evaluations is that we all agree I am moderate on the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale (Rubin, Palmgreen, & Sypher, 2009) and people-oriented based on the Listening Styles Profile (Rubin, Rubin, Graham, Perse, & Siebold, 2009). All three of us scored me as moderate on the verbal aggressiveness scale. I was happy to see that my perceptions and the perceptions of others saw me as fair and balanced when it comes to respecting others’ viewpoints and not verbally abusive and attacking in my communication (Rubin, et al, 2009). I was also pleasantly surprised to see that we all saw me as people-oriented based on the Listening Styles Profile (Rubin & Rubin, et al, 2009). When I looked at the other orientations based on listening styles, I was okay with being classified as a people person over the other styles. I do have some action-oriented tendencies such as being more “to the point” (Rubin & Rubin, et al, 2009) depending on the context of the communication.

I was surprised the most by how different our evaluations were when it came to the Communication Anxiety Inventory (Rubin, et al, 2009). While I saw myself in the moderate categories, they saw me in the mild and low categories. When I looked at how I scored myself to how they scored me, I decided it had a lot to do with the context of the communication and how they see me or do not see me in these situations. I was able to look at myself in all contexts and experiences, whereas they only see me either in a personal context or in a professional context.

 I want to share two insights I gained based on what I learned this week. The first insight is I am a more effective communicator than I give myself credit at times. Although I may feel anxiety while communicating in certain situations, others do not see me as anxious. Another insight I gained from this week is that our communication styles not only rely on the situational context of the communication but also on our cultural context and our relational context (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2015). Understanding how all of these things are related will help me be a more effective communicator.

References

O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3^rd ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Graham, E. E., Perse, E. M., & Seibold, D. R. (2009). Communication research measures: A Sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Communication and Cultural Diversity

Communication and Cultural Diversity

There are many different factors that make us diverse and include race, religion, gender, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and physical ability. When looking at the diversity at work or within my family, I realize that I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups, cultures, and contexts.

I tend to be more professional at work than I am at home or out in the community, but it also depends to whom I am speaking. No matter where I am or to whom I am speaking, I still try to remain objective and respectful to the communication style of the other person. Relationships and situations influence how we communicate with others (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2015).

After reading this week’s resources, I realize I do gauge the other person’s communicating style and adjust my style to fit theirs. I also realize it is easier to communicate with someone who is open and sincere in their communication.

For example, I just got off of the phone with my brother and sister-in-law. My sister-in-law is Korean. Family is very important to her as it is our family but I feel there are some differences. American families tend to expect our children to “leave the nest” at some point after high school. Although we miss them and it might be hard for us to see them move out, it is still considered a “part of life”. My sister-in-law is having a much harder time with her son going away to college. Part of it is because he has moved from Korea to the United States and the rest because it is a large part of their culture to be family-oriented or family-centered. It has been very hard for her and they even considered the cost of moving her and my other nephew to the states while my brother stayed in Korea for work. My nephew is in college just a few hours away from me and he stayed with me for a month and I helped him with things such as getting his driver’s license changed over, to buying a car, and getting insurance. On the phone today, she thanked me more than once for taking in my nephew and helping them out. My brother and I would talk casually and jokingly with her on the phone and then my communication would change a little when she would talk. I would become more sincere and reassuring because I know how hard it is for her to have her son so far away and how important family is to her.

The three strategies I feel help me be a more effective communicator are:

1.    Continue to be “other-oriented”. To be an effective communicator you must adjust your communication style and language to help the other person feel more comfortable (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 110).

2.    Apply Milton Bennet’s Platinum Rule: “do to others as they themselves would like to be treated” (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 114). Applying the Platinum Rule, it takes the focus off of you and puts it on the other person by understanding their perspective instead of your own. Acknowledging we all have our own worldviews that affect our perceptions (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 93) and our own realities will help in recognizing the other person’s needs (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010, p. 36) and how to properly react to their needs.

3.    Create a third-culture and relational empathy. Creating a third-culture requires real communication and time (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 107). “Dialogue, negotiation, conversation, interaction, and a willingness to let go of old ways and experiment with new frameworks are the keys to developing a third culture as a basis for a  new relationship” (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 107). Working towards a common goal often helps create a third-culture. Relational empathy derives from this third-culture and shows varying degrees of understanding rather than a full understanding of the other person’s culture, perspective, and feelings (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p. 107). Context matters and sometimes both need to remove themselves from their own contexts and move into this third-culture to find commonality and respect.

References

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6^th ed). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. pp. 36-38.

O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3^rd ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Television Communication

Television Communication

For my blog assignment this week, I was asked to choose a television show I have never watched before, record it, and then watch it first with no sound to make observations about their body language and facial expressions and then watch it again with the sound on to see if my assumptions were correct.

I chose to record and watch The Office because it is not a show I watch or would normally enjoy. The episode I chose is episode 14, season 4, "The Chair Model". I picked a couple of clips to observe with no sound since there are a lot of monologues in this show. In the first clip, Michael, the boss, is talking to his employees in the office. While Michael is talking, he is very animated and looks to be a bit angry. He gestures with his hands quite a bit and even points at them once. You can tell from his body language that he likes to be in charge. The employees look to be confused and not in agreement with what Michael is saying. You can tell this by their facial expressions. A couple of them are looking down as if they do not like what they are hearing or as if they are trying to ignore them. One of them flips his pen in the air in frustration after Michael walks back into his office.

I went back to watch this clip of the show with the sound on. Michael was supposed to be picking out a new chair from an office supply catalog when he became fixated on the female chair model. He realized he was ready to date and went out to talk to his employees about helping him find a date. Michael was upset over on one helping him find a date or not having any friends they could set him up with. The employee that tossed the pen in the air was exasperated over his phone is in his car and was not related to what Michael was asking of them. I feel I was correct in reading the body language and facial expressions other than the employee tossing the pen. He was frustrated that he would have to walk far to his car if he wanted his phone. (I was correct in reading his frustration, but it was not related to Michael asking them to find him a date.)

The second clip I chose to observe with the sound off was Andrew and Kevin in a meeting with a group of men. One man, maybe the leader, looked angry to be there with Andrew and Kevin. Andrew and Kevin both looked nervous. I could detect nervousness through Andrew’s body language and because he was tensely holding a note card. I could tell Kevin was nervous because he was stiff and looked to be talking fast. The meeting did not last long. One man at the table looks at the man who appears to be in the lead, they all look at each other in agreement and get up to leave. From this, it looks like the meeting did not go well.

When I watched this clip again with the sound on, I discovered that they thought they were there to discuss something with Michael. Andrew and Kevin were nervous because they called the meeting (maybe they could only get the men there if they said Michael, their boss, called the meeting). The men around the table were other businesses in the building who were parking in the closer spots to the building. Andrew was speaking nervously from the notecard and began by thanking them for coming when Kevin butted in quickly to say they wanted the closer parking spots back. That is when I saw one man at the table ask the other to start parking further away from the building; they agreed to do so and walked out. The body language and facial expressions I observed were pretty close to what I witnessed with the sound on. Andrew and Kevin were clearly nervous and most of the men around the table were clearly annoyed that they were called to a meeting. Once they found out why they were there, they quickly agreed and walked out. What seemed to be important to Andrew and Kevin was clearly not a big issue for the other men.

What I learned from these two clips is the importance of body language and facial expressions when communicating with others. Sometimes, your body language and facial expressions do not convey what you are saying. In other times, they are in direct relation to what you are saying. What I have learned this week is that you need to be careful that your body language and facial expressions should convey what you are saying so you do not offend the person or people you are talking to. Nonverbal communication can clarify what you are verbally saying through complementing or accenting (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 37). In other words, it is important that your nonverbal cues coincide with what you are saying if you wish to be an effective and competent communicator and want to avoid conflict.

References

O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. G., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3^rd ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Competent Communication

Competent Communication

I chose Beto O'Rourke as my example of a competent, effective communicator. He spoke at a rally recently and answered, quite beautifully, a very tough question regarding NFL players taking a knee during our national anthem and whether or not he thought it to be disrespectful. 

Here is the link of his response to the question:

https://youtu.be/lAw9eXXVwfM

I found his response to be effective because he respected the person who asked the question by thanking his family of veterans for their service and also thanked all people for their service both military and civilian (civil rights leaders and fighters) who have fought for freedom. His response was full of references to include a book and historical times in our nation's history to make his point. What stuck out to me was his passion and his respect for others. He took what could be considered a controversial subject and a conflict of opinion and handled it amazingly. I could tell that he had given the subject a lot of thought before the question was raised which helped him answer the question. I realize we cannot always be this prepared but as it is his job to stay up on current events, so is it our job to do so. I feel it is important for all of us to stay current and relevant, especially when it comes to respecting others and being an effective communicator. 

Listening to his response, I thought of at least two principles of ethical communication from the National Communication Association (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 14). 

The first is "we strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages" (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 14). The audience member who asked the question also added how frustrating it was to see the NFL players taking a knee. With that in mind, Beto made sure to acknowledge this frustration, thank his family and others for their sacrifices for our freedoms, then explained his position on the matter respectfully knowing that not all of the audience members would agree with his response. He was able to answer the question with a persuasive argument with valuable references for his reasoning. 

The second is "we promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators" (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p.14). I feel Beto was able to create a climate of caring and mutual understanding by respecting the person who asked the question by first thanking him for asking, then thanking his veteran family members, and by thanking others. He also acknowledged that it is "people like him (politicians)" who have lost the trust of the people (Beto, 2018). I feel this helped him relay his message since it showed a mutual understanding and it helped him connect to the audience. 

Trish

References

O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3rd ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's. 

Saleh, N. (2018). 'I can think of nothing more American': Beto O'Rourke responds to question on NFL protests-video. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2018/aug/22/beto-orourke-nfl-protests-texas-video

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression: Continued

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression Continued

“What is one hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds?”

My one hope I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that they feel welcome, safe, and nurtured in my classroom. I want them to feel that my sincerity is real and not just a smiling face.

“What is one goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice?”

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is genuine acceptance. All children and their families should feel worthy and they should have the same advantages as the dominant culture. I love the quote from Raffi that Louise Derman-Sparks used in this week’s media segment: “Every girl and boy is entitled to love, to dream and belong to a loving village and to pursue a life of purpose” (Laureate Education, 2011).

I want to thank each one of you for sharing your stories, thoughts, and experiences with me. I have learned so much from all of you through our discussion boards and blog posts. It has also been refreshing to see that through our experiences, we have grown into our roles as early childhood educators who will ensure the future will be brighter for the little ones in our care. I am happy to have all of you as my colleagues. Hope to see you in a future class!

Trish

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu

Welcoming Families From Around the World

You are working in an early childhood setting of your choice-a hospital, a child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their country of origin.

India

I chose India because I realized most of what I know about people from here are highly stereotypical views you see in movies or on television. From the charts and some research I discovered that they are mostly Hindus and speak Hindi. Many also speak English.

Considering the many different languages and dialects and the many different religious affiliations, I would have to learn more from the family. Other than the preliminary research I have done in preparation for their arrival, here are five other ways I would prepare myself to be culturally responsive:

1. Ensure I have elements from their culture in the classroom such as pictures, toys, and artwork (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

2. Offer resources about their new community and have them translated into their native language if necessary.

3. Meet with the child and family to learn more about them, such as culture, goals, and anything else they feel is important for me to know and to also answer any questions to alleviate any fear or anxiousness they may be feeling. I will also make sure they feel welcomed, nurtured, and safe in my school environment by building a positive relationship (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

4. Be respectful, caring, and understanding of their culture, norms, goals, and wishes.

5. Work on dispelling any stereotypes I have heard from the media by being open to learning about a culture I have not been exposed to by collaborating with the family to share their culture in the classroom (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

I feel that these preparations will benefit both me and the new family through open communication and cooperation. All children and their families in an early childhood setting should feel safe, nurtured, and respected. These preparations will help to ensure that they feel welcome in their new community. 

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

I can think of many instances of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression over my lifetime. Most of them have to do with sexism. A few were instances of ageism. I decided to talk about a memory where I experienced ageism. My experience with ageism was not because I was too old, but because I appeared to be too young. I was in a store shopping and had my oldest child in the shopping cart. At the time, she was about 12 months old I was almost 27. I was pushing the cart towards the check-out and was talking to my child when I heard someone make a sucking in sound/cluck of disgust/disdain. When I looked up, an older woman was shaking her head with her clear disapproval of me having a child. She made a comment to her friend about young people having children too early and out of wedlock. I not-so-kindly showed her my wedding ring and let her know my age. I was angry and hurt over the incident.

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

Besides being hurt and angry, I also did not enjoy the feeling of needing to defend myself to a stranger about my personal business. It diminished equity because I felt I needed to defend myself over the hurtful comments due to my appearance of looking “too young”. I can also say that it diminished equity through sexism due to “mom-shaming” or the stereotype that younger women are not or cannot be good mothers.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

With the above feelings of hurt, anger, and the need to defend myself, I also felt inadequate. Looking back on how I felt during and immediately after the incident has helped me to see how internalized oppression can affect a person by making them question experiences versus abilities. Although I know I had the ability to raise my child, this experience made me question whether or not I could or would be a good mother. Being a new mother is scary enough without the messages I received over ageism and sexism. Internalized oppression is not only when a person begins to believe the message they receive from others but also when people from the marginalized group begin to believe these messages and turn against one another (Axner, n.d.)

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

Several things would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. First, many females, including myself, would have to stop internalizing stereotypes we receive every day through messages we hear in everyday talk and media. Both ageism for young and old and sexism in the form of “mom-shaming” is harmful to women/girls. Secondly, I feel that “mom-shaming” can be more harmful than the messages we receive from men. With these two thoughts in mind, I feel a stronger “sisterhood” between females would form a united front against sexism from the opposite sex. This stronger “sisterhood” would also alleviate the ageist stereotype that young women are not or cannot be good mothers.

References

Marya Axner (n.d.)  Healing from the Effects of Internalized Oppression.  Community Toolbox. Retrieved from: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/culture/cultural-competence/healing-from-interalized-oppression/main

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Blog: Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I experienced or heard about several microaggressions and a microassault during the week. I will list them here and then I will further discuss the one that affected not only my family but a colleague, and a few of the children we serve at our school.  

1.     Listening to a parent tell my colleague and me that her family’s religion was invalidated through an experience her daughter was involved in where a caregiver slighted their religion by letting the child participate in celebrating her birthday by singing “Happy Birthday”.

2.     We do not live in a diverse community and my oldest daughter came to me and told me that she witnessed another driver go out of their way to get close to an African American walking to call him a racial slur. My daughter was so infuriated with the other driver’s hate and his willingness to be so blatant in our seemingly friendly town. This derogatory remark was a microassault on the person it was directed towards and it was completely unprovoked and disgusting. Dr. Sue states, “a microassault is an “overt, deliberate, hostile act intended to hurt the person on a conscious level” (Laureate Education, 2011).

3.     A conversation with one of our substitute teachers and other colleagues about the immigrant situation and children being separated from their families at the border went something like this:

Sub: “I don’t see why people are so upset about the children and families being separated. It happens all the time here in the U.S. and no one gets upset about that.” “Besides, that’s what they get for not coming into the U.S. the right way.” She went on to explain she was from Southern California and has experience in dealing with illegal immigrants.

I explained to her that I have family from Mexico who came to the U.S. not very long ago and became U.S. citizens. (My daughter’s great-grandparents emigrated from Mexico to make a better life for themselves and their family.)

Her not so polite reply was, “Well, like I said, I guess it’s okay if they come over the ‘right way’ and become citizens” She went on to reaffirm her position that it was okay that children and their parents are being separated at the border.

I was so blown away by her assertions and beliefs about this situation. As a mother, a person who works around children, and a human being, I do not understand how she can take such a hard stance on this subject. Since we were at work with children and other colleagues around I did not pursue the conversation further because I did not feel it was an appropriate topic to discuss within earshot of the children who were playing on the playground. I did suggest she look into the facts further, especially about seeking asylum in our country. This microaggression is an example of “expressing racially charged political opinions in class assuming that the targets of those opinions do not exist in class” (Portman, Trisa Bui, Ogaz, & Trevino, n.d., p. 3).

This experience showed me that when people think they are around like-minded or culturally similar people, they tend to speak more freely. It also reminded me that bias and prejudice are deeply embedded in people and not based on fact. “Racism is taught. Through both explicit and implicit messages, society teaches ideas, attitudes, and assumptions about race that are not true” (Margles & Margles, 2010, p. 137). I know I am not perfect and that we all carry some amount of bias. I feel realizing this about myself and my willingness to do my best to treat people fairly puts me in the right direction

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu

Margles, S., & Margles, R. M. (2010). Inverting racism’s distortions. Our Schools/Our Selves, 19(3), 137-149.

Portman, J., Trisa Bui, T., Ogaz, J. & Trevino, J. (n.d.). Microaggressions in the classroom,  p. 1-8. University of Denver Center for Multicultural Excellence. Retrieved from: http://otl.du.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/MicroAggressionsInClassroom-DUCME.pdf

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

When I asked friends and family their definitions of culture and diversity, I did not know what to expect. I figured I would get both superficial and in-depth answers and I was correct. It, in fact, ranged from “it’s what you make of it” to more thoughtful considerations.

There were some aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course in the answers given to me. One example is from a friend who is Mexican American. He came to the U.S. when he was 9 years old with his family and became citizens. He now works for the U.S. Forest Service and gave the closest definition of culture and diversity that I have studied during this course. He defined both surface culture and deep culture. He defined part of his surface culture as the things we see, the food, the clothing, the holidays of a particular culture (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). He went on to define part of his deep culture as the values, language, religion, and migration (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). He defines his childhood as spending most of his time with family instead of friends and going to the Catholic Church with his family. He knew his family culture was much different to the dominant culture here in the U.S. He noted all the different types of music that were born and bred here in the U.S. His definition of diversity was also close to what I have studied during this course with a beautiful twist. He stated diversity includes race and ethnicity but also includes, age, gender, social class, varying personalities, gender identity, and religions. He compared diversity to what he sees in nature. In nature, diverse ecosystems are healthier than monocultures so he argues that diversity is a good thing since it maximizes our potential. Beautiful.

There were also some aspects that were clearly omitted in some answers such as “It is what we make it”. Although it is what we make it, it is also what we do not. Some experiences are within our control through our choices. Other experiences we have no control over and can have a profound effect on who we become. For example, we learned from Ngo that certain discourses are so indoctrinated into the dominant culture that it has become normalized (Ngo, 2008). While we cannot control the discourse, we can control the way we react to it.

Thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity has influenced my own thinking of these topics by reinforcing my belief that I cannot become complacent about the effects of culture and diversity has on our children and ultimately society. One of my African American friends from high school told me that he has become somewhat numb to the situation (society) and learned to focus on influencing his children instead of being influenced by society. It also deepened my knowledge that there are several factors people assume of the dominant culture that does not fit in with my culture. The final thing that impacted me was my friend’s definition of culture and likening it to nature. Diversity is, in fact, beautiful and should be embraced and nourished. Gonzalez-Mena said, “Diversity is a benefit and that it is richness” (Laureate Education, 2011).

I will post excerpts of the conversations with my friends on a separate blog since some of them are lengthy. Here is the link to these conversations: https://patriciatowne.blogspot.com/2018/07/culture-and-diversity-defined.html

Trish

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Culture and diversity [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu.

Ngo, B. (2008). Beyond “culture clash”: Understanding of immigrant experiences. Theory into Practice, 47(1), 4-11.

Culture and Diversity Defined

Culture and Diversity Defined

Definition of culture and diversity by O. T.:

Culture:  “I think culture is something related to family and country. It’s the community(ies) we interact with on a daily basis and throughout life. Culture includes what we eat, what/how we speak, who/how we worship, how we work, how we spend our free time, etc. I often hear people say that the US has no culture, but I completely disagree. I grew up with two cultures. My parents are from Mexico, so I grew up speaking Spanish, eating traditional meals, going to Catholic school, going to church every Sunday, and spending most of my time with family instead of friends. It was very obvious to me that my world outside of home was a completely different culture. American culture is baseball and apple pie; burgers, hot dogs, steaks, potato salad, watermelon, ice cream sundaes; cowboys and Indians; Davy Crocket, National Parks, and the great outdoors; music—home of the blues, rap, and country western; ball caps and cowboy hats; we love our sports, tailgating, cars, guns, and TV; and, although imperfectly, we promote hard work, opportunity, freedom, and justice for all.”

 Diversity:  “Diversity is variety, health, and engagement. Diversity seems to be associated with race and ethnicity, these days, but I think diversity includes more than that. It seems to be a topic that often comes up at work. Do we have a diverse workforce or do we all look alike; is it mostly white miles? So race and ethnicity are obvious factors to the diversity definition. I would say that diversity also includes male and female, a span of age groups/generations, various experience levels, veterans and new recruits, different backgrounds and locations (east/west/north/south, urban/rural, military/civilian), personalities (introverts/extroverts, jocks/intellectuals, outdoorsy/techy), economies (rich/poor), gay/straight, religious/atheist, etc.”

“I look at nature. Diverse ecosystems with a variety of species, age classes, and interactions are typically the healthiest. Monocultures and less diverse ecosystems/species populations are often more fragile or are indications of poor health resulting from some impact/disruption to their community. So I would argue that diversity is a good thing that maximizes our potential; that we are healthiest and operate at our best when we are diverse and appreciative of our differences.”

Conversation with K. T.:

 “Diversity births inclusion/growth through understanding, not exclusion and often is the strength that adds value to any situation 'when/if' given the opportunity. Culture is often viewed as foundational and usually difficult to understand because it's more likely a person's or organization's truth.”

“ ...I guess I've become somewhat numb to it because in my experiences it's never changed and once I realized that it's better to influence my arena than being influenced, I'm not as shocked but there are a lot of factors that prepared me along the way, I think.” “Youth sports is the still the most powerful vehicle where kids experience cultural diversity without even knowing they're going through the course because it just doesn't matter...it's taught consciously and sub-consciously.  ...most people are so caught up with where they are from, what rural/hood they belong to, a status of rich/poor on and on and on. It's nauseating.  ...My boys are 28/24 and it's comforting to know that they understand you don't put out fires with fire! Keep impacting your tribe because I believe that is where the true impact takes place.”

On our discussion about character: “...funny how MLK said the 'CONTENT OF MY CHARACTER' but all sides rarely if ever have started there to bridge the gap...”

He then joked with me about me running in 2020 and I replied Trump would want to see my birth certificate. (I was born in Africa). His reply, “I’m dead”.